Apparatus for and system of fluid supply



Aug. 1, 1944. E. L. MILLS ETAL 2,354,925

APPARATUS FOR AND SYSTEM OF FLUID SUPPLY Filed 0d. 21, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 1, 1 944. E. L. MILLS mu. 2 ,354,925

APPARATUS FOR AND SYSTEM OF FLUID SUPPLY Filed Oct. 21, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 1, 1944 2,354,925 mm'rus so: am) srs'rnmor- FLUID surrmz Ellsworth 1.. Mills and Savin L. Sundstrom, cm cage,11]., aasignors to The Bastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application October! 21, 1939, Serial No.300,682

s'ciai s. (01. 62-1) This invention relates to an apparatus for and asystem. of supplying fluid. In the particular form here illustrated, itis primarily designed for supplying fuel by means of readily portabletanks. The fuel in the tank may be liquefied hydro-. carbon or any otherdesirable form of fuelliquid or gas, or both- One object of theinvention is to provide an apparatus for the convenient supply of fluidso arranged that a plurality of sources may be removably mountedadjacent a point of use and so arranged that either source, as desired,may be readily connected to the point .of use or to the system where itis to be used. Another object is to provide suitable apparatus andcontrols whereby the containers are made. safe for transportation andare made convenient for attachment to a support and 'for attachment to asystem to which the fluid is to flow. Another object is to provide ameans for protecting the parts of the mechanism most liable to.

damage. A still further object is to provide means for removably lockingthe containers in place and, if desired, for .removably looking aprotective means in place.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specificationand the claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less die..-

grammatically inthe accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view with parts'broken away and parts in sectionshowing a two-container system;

Figure 2 is a side elevation with parts broken away and parts in sectionshowing the assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on a large scale taken at line 3-4 ofFigure 1 and showing a seal plug and valve body in the closed orinoperative position;

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the connection plugand body inposition after removal of the seal plug;

Figure 5 is a side elevation with parts in section and parts broken awayshowing the bracket upon which the containers may be supported;

.Figure 6 is a front elevation of the bracket of Figure '1 is aside'elevation with parts in section and parts broken away showing theprotective hood which may. be removablymounted over ed in almost anydesired manner, it isconvenient 55 to support them ona member I whichmay b the wall of a house or building within which the materialcontained in the tanks is to be used; As shown, a pipe 2 is connectedwith .the system and The pipe 3 may be made fairly flexible so that itmay be readily 'moved for attachment to either of the tanks, or, insteadof being flexible, it may be provided with a joint to permit thismovement.

A bracket is provided for each container. In general, a bracket maycomprise a flat portion I with one or more perforations 6 through whichbolts 1 may pass to fasten the bracket in place.

' As shown, the bracket mayhave side flanges 3.

The flanges are cut away as at 9 to permit .a portion III of the bracketto be bent downwardly. Reenforcing pieces II are fastened to theflanges3 by welding or otherwise. A portion of the bracket'may have the flangescut away and be bent upwardly as at l2 and rearwardlyas at 13. Eachbracket is preferably perforated in one of its flanges as at H and isperforated in the portion In as at l5 and in the portion l3 as at [6.

The perforations I5 and I6 are preferably posi tioned one above theother and in line with the perforation M to permit a padlock I! to passthrough them. They may, also, be perforated as at I8 in the portion l0.

While many forms of containers may be used, those shown herewith aresuitable and each comprises a container body l3 to which a base 20 maybe secured by welding or otherwise. The container, also, preferably hassecured to it by welding or otherwise at its upper end a reenforcingflange-like portion 2L. Two handles 22 are secured to each of thecontainers and one of each of these handles is engaged on a bracket 1118through which fluid passes to the point of use.

As shown, the service opening may be formed in an integral enlargement23 which is perforated and threaded as at 24. A valve body 23 iscorrespondingly threaded and screwed into place as shown particularly inFigures 3 and 4. The valve body comprises a lower or inner section 23within which a seat portion 21 is formed. An opening 23 leads from theseat outwardly through the valve body. The internal diameter of the.

lower section 26 is'enlarged adjacent its end and threaded as at 23 toreceive a spring retainer 30 which, as shown, is perforated as at 3| andpro-- the other it bears against the enlargement 35 which is preferablyintegral with the. valve stem and carries the seating portion. Thisenlargel ment has a peripheral flange 36 which retains a seating disc31. This latter may be made of any suitable material which-will give atight fit when the valve is seated. The valve disc is perforated a pipe3 is connected by a union 4 to the pipe 2. co to" receive the threadedshank 33 of a forked disc I retainer 39, the valve stem 33 being hollowto receive the threaded shank 38. The disc retainer is provided with theupwardly extending members or forks 40. Above the opening 28, the valvebody is provided with a tapered or inclined seating portion 4|, andabove this seating portion its internal diameter is somewhat enlargedand threaded as at 42. The threading is preferably such' as to giverapid movement of the threaded members received in it when they arerotated. The .valve body is prei'erably enlarged adjacent its upper endas at 43 and is provided with an annular cutout portion 44 which pro-'-vides a shoulder 45.

, As shown in Figure 3, a seal plug 46 is in place in the threadedportion 42 of the outer end of the valve body. The sealplug comprises amain threaded portion and a lateral flange 41 and a cut-back portion 48within which the inner edge of a sealplug washer 49 is received. Whenthe seal plug is screwed into position, the washer 49 bearing againstthe shoulder 45 makes a gastight flt. If desired, the seal plug may havea hollow, internally threaded upper extension 56 within which a screw isreceived. The screw 5| holds in place a member 52 to which one end of aretaining chain 63 is fastened. Preferably, the arrangement is such thatthe member 52 may rotate or swing about th screw 6|. The other end ofthe chain 53 is secured as at 54 by a screw, rivet or otherwise to thecontainer or to the member 2 l.

The seal plug has been described above and is normally in place when thecontainer is not in use. To connect the container to a system for use,the-connector mechanism of Figure 4 is used. This comprises a connectormember 55 which is provided with a bore 66 and an enlarged nippleportion .51 rounded as shown. Joined to the nipple portion may be aportion of hexagona1 cross section '58. The connector member is threadedat its upper end as at 59 and may be screwed directly into a regulatoror into a fitting 60 which is joined to the regulator. Mounted to rotateabout the connector 66 is a wing nut including a body portion 6| whichis preferably of angular cross section, and including, also, a threadedportion 62 adapted to be received in the threads within the valve'body.The wing nut is, also, provided with wings or arms 63 by means of whichit is rotated. The purpose of the wing nut is, of course, to providemeans for moving the connector into and out of position within the valvebody.

In the particular form here shown, -a regulator 64 is joined by themember 60 to the connector 55. The regulator is, also, joined by aconnection 65 to the tube or pipe-3.

66 is a hood having an open bottom asat 61 and provided with a narrowedopen neckportion 68. When the hood is in use, the tube 3 may passthrough the neck. A packing tube or gasket 69 may be positioned withinthe neck 68 and is preferably of such size, shape and material as toprevent leakage through the neck and, thus, to protect the regulator,the valve body, the wing nut and the associated parts. The hood 66 maybe slotted as at 10 to receive a bracket member H As shown, the bracketmember is formed of Figure 1, when the hood is in place .the perforation '14 overlies the perforation 16 of the main bracket 5 which carriesthe container then in use and the same'padlock which engages the mainbracket and holds the container .in place also engages the bracket H andholds the hood in place.

Each container may be providedwith a fuse plug o'r a safety valve orboth, or it' nay be provided with a composite safety valve arranged toyield under pressure and, also, provided with a fusible member to meltupon the occurrence of a predetermined degree of. heat. Such a plug isindicated generally as at 15 inFigure 1. The details of the fuse plugand safety valve are not shown as they'form no essential part of theinvention, and the plug is mentioned merely to indicate that the presentinvention may be embodied in a structure which has such a fuse plug orsafetyvalve, or both.

Although there is shown an operative form of the device, it will beunderstood that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of partsmight be made without departing from.

may be a house piping system or any other desired I arrangement of pipesfor conducting the fluid to a point of use. The brackets will be securedto the house or to some other suitable support adjacent the system.Ordinarily, th fluid containers will be furnished from a central sourceof supply from which the user takes them full to his point of use. Heplaces them upon the main brackets and may lock them in place, if

desired. He opens and removes the seal plug a from one of thecontainers. When this seal plug is opened, thevalve remains closed bothbecause of internal pressure and because of the pressure of the spring34. He then puts the connector into place and screws it down by means ofth wing nut. The nipple or inner end of the wing nut contacts the discretainers 40 and depresses them to open the valve. This will occur ashort distan'ce before the nipple has been fully seated. Suitablepacking means may be provided within the valve body to prevent leakagepast the connector. Since the thread is made for rapid in and outmovement-both of the plug and the connector-the nipple will be seatedimmediately after the valve is opened and little or no leakage willoccur. After the nipple is properly seated, the hood, which has beenpreviously raised or slipped back along the pipe 3, will be moved againto the position of Figures 1 and 2. The plug 46, which has been removed,will lie within the space covered by the hood and the hood will bearranged so that its bracket Il may be lockedin -place by the same'lockwhich locks the container in place on the main bracket.

With the parts as shown in Figures 1 and 2,

, the flexibility or the connection of the tube 3.

permits it thus readily to be moved to make a connection with one ortheother of the containers. When one container has been emptied and theother brought into use, the user will ordinarily exchange the emptycontainer for a full one and mount the new full container in place ofthe empty one where it will be available for immediat use when required.

We claim:

1. In a fuel supply system having a portable pressure tank as asource ofsupply of fuel under pressure and a base adapted to support the tank inupright position the combination of a fluid conduit mounted upon thebase and having a flexible connector joined thereto, a pressureregulator connected rigidly to the free end of said connector, aconnection receiving member adapted to be secured to said tank andprovided with a frusto-conical metallic seat therein around a smallpassageway opening upwardly and terminating in' a threaded opening, anoutwardly moving self closing valve preventing escape of the contents ofthe tank through the passageway, a member mounted on the valve anddisposed in the passageway to terminate at a point proximate to saidseat when the valve is closed, and means for connecting said pressureregulator to said connection receiving member including, a

tubular member secured rigidly to the regulator and having a shoulderedhead terminating in a round seating portion-for contacting the seat anddisplacing the member upon the valve to open the valve, and a manuallyrotated member swivelled upon the tubular member to engage theshouldered head and be received in said threaded opening to exertpressure between said seat and said seating portion. v

2. In a fluid supply system for liquefied petroleum gas stored in apressure tank, the combination of a connector with a regulator securedrigidly thereto and discharge connection thereforf comprising a valvehousing seated inan opening in said tank, a valve seat formedwithin-said housing, a valve within said housing having a compositionseat engaging disc thereon, yielding means within said housing tending,when free.

to do so, to hold said valve disc seated on said seat, a projection onsaid valve extending; out

wardly beyond said valve seat and holding the disc upon the valve toprevent sticking of the valve, a second valve seat positioned outwardlyof said first valve seat, said housing being provided on its interiorwith 'athread beyond said second valveseat, said threadbe'ing adapted toreceive alternately a closing plug and a connector, a connector providedwith a spherical seating portion, the length of the projection from saidvalvev being such that it is contacted by the connector and the valve isopened before inward seating movement 01 the connector is finallyterminated.

3. In a fluid supply system for liquefied petroleum gas stored in apressure tank, the combination of a discharge oqmection thereforcomprising a valve housing seated 'in an opening in said tank, a valveseat formed within said housing, a valve having a stem reciprocablymounted within said housing, yielding means within said housing tending,when free to do so. to hold said valve seated on said seat, a projectionon said valve extending outwardly beyond said valve seat and cooperatingtherewith to guide the valve into engagement with the seat, a secondvalve seat positioned outwardly of said first valve seat and having afrusto-conical contour, said projection extending outwardly beyond theinner end of said second valve seat, a shoulder formed adjacent theouter end of said valve housing. said housing being provided on itsinterior with a thread of sharp pitch outwardly beyond said sec ondvalve seat, said thread being adapted to receive alternately a closingplug and a connector,

and a connector provided with a rounded seating portion, the lengthofthe projection from said valve'being such that it is contacted by theconnector and the valve .is opened before inward seating movement of theconnector is finally terminated.

'4. In a fuel supply system including a supply tank and removableservice line having a pressure regulator, the combination of a connectorfor said regulator and tank carried by said regulator, said connectorhaving a rounded .head, and a connector-receiving member secured tormember mounted in the inlet of said regulator, a coupling elementswivelly'mounted upon the connector member and adapted to be re- ,ceivedin the tap member to. secure saidmembers together, means for sealing thetap member and connector member including a rounded seating portion uponone of the members and a conical seating portion upon the other memberwhich portions are capable of engaging each other in sealing relation ina universal relationship, and means carried by the valve extendingoutwardly and engaged by the connector member for opening the valve toits open position as the sealing portions are brought into sealingengagement.

- s, In a dispensing system having a container; for storing liquefiedfuel gas under pressure and a service line leading to an applianceincluding a pressure reducer, the combination of a tap member receivedin a wall of said container and having an opening for delivery of thecontainer contents, a valve normally closing said opening,' a tubularconnector member secured to the inlet of said regulator, a threadedelement swivelly mounted upon the connector member and adapte'dto engagethe tap member for securing the connector member thereto, means forsealing the. tap member and connector member in-' cludinga roundedseating portion upononeof the members and a conical seating portion uponthe other member which portions are capable of engaging each other inself-adjusting. relationship, and means castellated at its outer end.and carried by the valve to extend outwardly and'be engaged by theconnector member for displacingthe valve as the sealing portionsarebrought into .tull pressure engagement by the manual tuming of thethreaded element.

. ELIBWORTH L MILLS.

SAVIN L. SUNDSTROM.

